Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers that are used in many applications, including clothes fabrics, musical strings, rope and other materials. Various methods are known in the art to produce nylon. For example, nylon may be produced from hexamethylene diamine (as referred to as hexane-1,6-diamine), which may be obtained from butadiene. Butadiene may be obtained from cracking of hydrocarbons, and not typically obtained from renewable sources. Further, precursors like butadiene may also be subject to global energy price volatilities. Thus, what is needed in the art are alternative methods to produce precursors suitable for use to produce nylon and other polymers.